Question
Is it safe to take TB medication with my ARVs?
14 December 2011. Related: All topics, Complications and coinfections, South Africa, Starting treatment, TB.
Hi. I am HIV positive and on ART for 10 months.
My viral load is undetectable and my CD4 count is 180.
Last month I was suffering form breathing problems. Then I went to the doctor and and found fluid in my lungs. They removed that and now they prescribed me TB medicines along with ART.
My ART meds are: Tavin EM (tenofovir and emtricitabine) in the morning; Atazor R (atazanavir and ritonovir (evening).
I also take ZOCOn 150 (1 tab in a weak) and sepmax (one tab afternoon).
My TB medicine is: (1) Ributin150 1 tab alternate day before breakfast; (2) Wysolone 20 after bf for 15 days; (3) Benadon (half tab after bf); (4) pyrazinamide (750 2 tab after lunch); (5) Combutol (1000 1 tab after dinner).
My question is, along with ART medicine, is this combination good for me or is it going to harm me? Please let me know.
Answer
Thank you for your question
I appreciate that it must be difficult for you having to take so many meds at the moment. This will only be for a short time though until the TB is treated.
The TB meds you are taking are recommended for TB. It will therefore not harm you as it is meant to cure the TB. The meds are also routinely prescribed even for people taking HIV meds (called ART), as is your case.
One of your meds, the Wysolone, is or treating breathing difficulties, which is one of the things you mentioned in your email.
Although the TB drugs can be tough and have some side effects, you will only need to take them for about 6 to 12 months, depending on the combination. This is the standard for first line regimen which you are on. It is therefore really important that you take thee meds carefully. This means taking them as prescribed by your doctor.
Missing TB meds can cause drug resistance and even MDR TB (multidrug resistant TB). Treatment for MDR TB is longer and has much nastier side effects, so it is best to adhere to your first line regimen in order to cure the TB and ensure that you don’t develop MDR TB. If you have just started taking the TB meds, you should start to feel better within in 2-3 weeks.
Good luck with completing the remaining meds.
Best wishes.
Further info
TB and HIV coinfection (from the i-Base training manual)
https://i-base.info/ttfa/5-ois-and-coinfections/7-tuberculosis-tb
UK (BHIVA) guidelines on HIV and TB coinfection.
https://www.bhiva.org/TB-guidelines
Hi Nthabiseng,
TB meds are often given to people who are positive who live in TB prone areas and who have low CD4 counts. Do you live in a TB prone area? As you’re just been diagnosed you won’t know yet what your CD4 count is, if it comes back as low (this is assuming that you had one done) then yes TB meds may be needed. Ideally what you need to do is to talk to your doctor, ask them why you’ve been given TB meds.
TB meds can be taken together with ARVs.
Good evening .I went to clinic today for itchiness in my vagina and they suggested that I take the test for hiv which I did and it came positive and after they gave me arvs and tb pills withouth checking me if I have tb or not.now my concern is.should I use this tb medication or should I only start only arvs.im not even coughing but they just gave me this medication
And I’m afraid to take it.cos I think it will cause me to have unnecessary sides effects and start having tb.please advise on what to do please.
Hi Zandile,
Yes, as Angelina says above, it is safe to use TB treatment with ARVs. But treating HIV and TB can be complex. So it’s important to talk to your doctor about how your treatment will work together for both of these.
Please also ask your doctor about your lump and headache.
If you have access to your CD4 count and viral load results please let us know.
Hi I have a lump on my neck for about a year just find out I have tb n I’m on ARV treatment using 1 pill ,is it safe to use both treatment? and what are the sides effect? C’s already I have this headache which I blv it is caused by this lump..
Hi Keke,
For me to be able to answer this, I’m going to need to know what your brothers CD4 count is. Also if he’s lost 7 kilos on 3 days, this needs to be addressed by his medical team.
My brother was diagnosed with TB 4 days ago. He is HIV positive and has been on ARVs from 2015. He fell ill before taking TB medication and was told he had pneumonia. He seemed much better when the treatment was over but he got vwry hungry one day and fainted and it seemed like pneumonia came back but we were told about the TB, seen through Xray.
He weighed 50.3kg before being admitted 4 days ago now he weighs 43.6kg. Hes basically a skeletal covered by skin. In three days thay hes taken TB medication hes been weird. He cant feed himself, he has extreme breathing difficulties. He is always weak and he eats only 3 spoons of pap and maas and feeks too full.
I tried to ask more from hospital but the doctor was not cooperative.
My question is this… Does he have AIDS now? Is it too late to take TB medication when your HIV has turned into AIDS?
Hi Lethabo,
What does your doctor say? It’s good that you are being treated for your overall health. And your doctor should have said something if you weren’t to take them at the same time.
But it’s a good idea to check with the doctor or the clinic.
How’s the HIV teatment going? What ARVs are you taking, and do you know your CD4 count and viral load? Please let us know.
Hi
I would like to ask …is it ok to take Arvs simultaneously with TB and hypertension tablets
I take my arvs @9pm every night
Regards
Lethabo
Hi Brian,
Can I just confirm, are you taking ARVs? If you are what are you taking? How do you know the itching is due to the ARVs? That is if you are taking them.
What’s your current CD4?
Hello I have been diagnosed with TB, and HIV I started with TB treatment for two weeks with Bactrim. My skin started to extremely itching. I have mentioned to the clinic and they simply have me alegex and it’s not working. Could I stop with the arv and continue with TB treatment only. Then after six months I could resume with ARVZ